Gastroenterology
Our dedicated digestive health experts treat conditions and symptoms impacting your digestive tract, including the stomach, intestines and liver.
Gastrointestinal Care in South Florida
Digestive issues can affect your esophagus, stomach, colon or liver — and they often disrupt daily life. At Broward Health, our gastroenterology specialists provide expert care to diagnose and treat these conditions. Whether you live in South Florida or are visiting, our digestive health team will work with you to create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
GI Conditions We Treat
From everyday digestive discomfort to serious liver disease, our gastroenterology team cares for the full range of gastrointestinal conditions. We also provide preventive screenings, like colonoscopies, to help catch issues early.
Conditions we treat include:
- Abdominal pain and bloating
- Appendicitis
- Barrett’s esophagus
- Celiac disease
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Colorectal cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Diverticulitis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Heartburn and acid reflux
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Liver disease
How We Find Answers
Getting the right diagnosis is the first step toward feeling better. At Broward Health, our gastroenterology team uses advanced tools to understand what’s causing your digestive symptoms.
Our specialists may recommend:
- Imaging tests (like CT scans or ultrasounds) to get a clear picture of your digestive organs
- Endoscopic exams that use a tiny camera to look inside your esophagus, stomach, or colon
- Minimally invasive studies (like capsule endoscopy, where you swallow a small camera) to check for issues without surgery
- Targeted tests to measure liver health or take small tissue samples when needed
With these tools, we can detect conditions early and design a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Personalized GI Treatments
Once we understand what’s causing your symptoms, your Broward Health gastroenterology team will create a treatment plan that fits your needs. Whenever possible, we start with the least invasive options to help you feel better and get back to the activities you enjoy.
- Medications to relieve symptoms and manage chronic conditions
- Targeted therapies such as biologics or immunomodulators for inflammatory diseases
- Local treatments like cortisone enemas to reduce inflammation
For more complex conditions, our surgeons offer advanced minimally invasive and robotic procedures, designed for faster recovery and fewer side effects—so you can return to daily life with confidence.
Procedure Preparation
A capsule endoscopy uses a tiny camera inside a pill, about the size of a vitamin, to take thousands of pictures of your digestive tract. This helps our GI team check for issues such as:
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Inflammation
- Polyps
The capsule sends images to a recorder you’ll wear around your waist or abdomen.
Before your procedure
- Do not eat for 12 hours before your appointment.
During your procedure
- Our team will attach a small recorder to your abdomen or provide a belt to wear around your waist.
- You’ll swallow the capsule with water. After it clears your throat you won’t feel it as it moves through your system.
After your procedure
- Avoid drinking water for 2 hours.
- Wait at least 4 hours before eating a light meal.
- Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity.
- The capsule usually passes within 8 hours. Flush it once it passes.
- Return the recorder to our office as instructed. Our GI experts will review the images and contact you with results.
If you are 45 or older, or have a family history of colorectal cancer, your doctor may recommend a colonoscopy. This minimally invasive test uses a tiny camera on a flexible tube (a colonoscope) to examine the lining of your colon for polyps or cancer. During the procedure, your doctor may take biopsies or remove tissue for testing.
Before your procedure
- Your care team will give you a bowel prep plan that fits your health needs.
- Follow the instructions closely. We cannot do the procedure if your bowel is not fully prepped.
During your procedure
- We will place an IV, give you light sedation, and take you to the exam room.
- Your doctor will gently guide the colonoscope through the rectum and colon to the cecum while inspecting the lining.
- If we find polyps or other concerns, we can remove them or take samples through the scope.
After your procedure
- You will recover until the sedation wears off, then your doctor will review any findings.
- You must have a driver to take you home because of the sedation.
- About 30 minutes after the procedure you can start drinking fluids and go home with your driver.
- Resume eating and drinking as you feel ready. Do not drive or make important decisions for at least 12 hours.
- Common side effects include mild bloating, a small amount of bleeding, and tenderness if a polyp was removed or a biopsy was taken.
- Serious risks like perforation or reactions to sedation are rare. If you have severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever, or signs of an allergic reaction, contact your care team right away.
An endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) combines endoscopy and ultrasound to capture high-quality images of your digestive tract and nearby organs. This helps our GI team evaluate issues such as:
- Abnormalities in digestive system organs
- Cancer
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Nodules or polyps in the intestines
Before your procedure
- Do not eat or drink for 4–6 hours before your appointment.
- Follow your care team’s instructions regarding prescription medications.
During your procedure
- You will receive light sedation before the exam, which usually lasts 30–90 minutes.
- Your doctor will guide a flexible endoscope into your digestive tract and use ultrasound imaging to evaluate problem areas in real time.
After your procedure
- You will recover until the sedation wears off, then your doctor will review results and share any images taken.
- You must have someone available to drive you home after the procedure.
- Resume eating, drinking, and daily activities as you feel ready, but avoid driving or making important decisions for at least 24 hours.
- If a biopsy was taken, results will be available in several days, and follow-up appointments will be scheduled as needed.
If you have trouble swallowing, recurring heartburn, or chest pain not related to your heart, your doctor may recommend an EGD (upper endoscopy). This test uses a flexible tube with a light and camera to examine your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum for possible causes of your symptoms.
Before your procedure
- Stop taking blood thinners (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, Coumadin, Plavix, Celebrex) 5–7 days before your EGD.
- Follow your care team’s instructions regarding prescription medications.
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the day of your procedure.
- If you take blood pressure or heart medicine, you may take it with a small sip of water the morning of your procedure.
During your procedure
- You will receive light sedation before being taken to the exam room.
- Your doctor will guide the endoscope through your mouth and upper GI tract, viewing the lining on a monitor.
- If polyps or other issues are found, we may remove them or take tissue samples through the scope.
- If your esophagus is narrowed, dilators may be used to help improve swallowing.
After your procedure
- You will recover until the sedation wears off, then your doctor will review any findings with you. Note: You must have someone available to drive you home.
- About 30 minutes after your procedure you can start drinking fluids and then go home with your driver.
- You may resume eating and drinking as you feel ready, but avoid driving or making important decisions for at least 12 hours.
- Common side effects include a sore throat or gas.
- Serious side effects are rare, but if you experience heavy bleeding or severe abdominal pain, contact your care team right away.
Your GI care team may recommend a flexible sigmoidoscopy if you are over 50 and have symptoms such as:
- Abdominal pain
- Change in bowel habits
- Chronic diarrhea
- Rectal bleeding
This procedure is similar to a colonoscopy and allows your doctor to examine the lower part of your large intestine. The main differences are that it uses a sigmoidoscope instead of a colonoscope and does not require anesthesia or sedation.
Before your procedure
- Follow a liquid diet the day before (your care team will provide detailed instructions).
- Follow instructions for laxatives or an enema. If your bowel is not fully cleared, the procedure cannot be completed.
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the day of your exam.
- Follow any instructions from your care team about prescription medications.
During your procedure
- After check-in, you will be taken to the exam room.
- The test lasts about 15 minutes. You will lie on your side with your knees pulled toward your chest.
- Your doctor will insert the sigmoidoscope into your rectum and examine your colon on a monitor. A biopsy may be taken if needed.
After your procedure
- You can resume normal activities right away.
- A small amount of blood in your first stool is normal.
- Other common side effects include mild cramping and gas.
- If you experience heavy or ongoing bleeding, persistent abdominal pain, or a fever of 100°F or higher, contact your care team immediately.
If you are showing symptoms of liver disease, your GI specialist may recommend a liver biopsy. This procedure removes a small piece of liver tissue to check for disease or damage. Depending on your condition, it may be performed as an outpatient procedure in one of our offices or at a Broward Health hospital. The preparation and recovery will depend on the type of biopsy you have.
Percutaneous Biopsy
This is the most common type of liver biopsy. Using ultrasound to locate your liver, your doctor will have you lie on your back with your right arm raised above your head. After numbing the area with local anesthetic, a small incision is made, and a needle is used to take a tissue sample. You may be asked to briefly hold your breath during the sample collection. Once complete, a few small stitches are placed. You can return to normal activities within a week, but avoid lifting anything over 10 pounds. Results are usually available within a few days.
Transjugular Biopsy
This type is used when your care team needs to examine the hepatic vein. After numbing an area of your neck, a thin tube is inserted into your jugular vein and guided to the hepatic vein. Contrast dye is injected so the area can be seen on X-ray, and a small needle collects the liver tissue sample. Once complete, the tube is removed and the incision bandaged.
Laparoscopic Biopsy
This biopsy requires general anesthesia in an operating room. Small incisions are made in the abdomen so a camera and instruments can guide your doctor to the liver. After the tissue samples are taken, the incisions are closed with stitches. You will spend up to two hours in recovery due to anesthesia and must have someone drive you home. Most patients resume normal activities within a week but should avoid lifting items heavier than 10–15 pounds.
Why Choose Broward Health
